The National Association of Nigerian Students has called on the Ogun State Government to urgently convert the Gateway Industrial and Petro-Gas Institute, Oni, Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, from a monotechnic to a full-fledged polytechnic as part of measures to address the challenges confronting the institution.

The NANS Secretary-General, Oladimeji Uthman, made the call in a statement on Sunday while expressing concern over what he described as the prolonged neglect, underfunding and poor welfare of staff of the institution.

Uthman noted that the conversion of the institution would expand its academic mandate, create opportunities for the accreditation of more courses and strengthen its capacity to produce skilled manpower for Ogun State and Nigeria’s emerging oil, gas and industrial sectors.

According to him, GIPI, established in 2008 by an Act of the Ogun State House of Assembly under the administration of former Governor Gbenga Daniel, has enormous potential but has been constrained by inadequate funding, limited accreditation and poor staff welfare.

He said, “It is unacceptable that an institution established to develop human capacity in the industrial and petro-gas sector is being allowed to struggle with basic challenges that should have been addressed by successive administrations.

“We are therefore calling on the Ogun State Government to begin the process of converting GIPI from its present monotechnic status to a polytechnic. This will give the institution a broader academic mandate and enable it to offer more programmes that are relevant to the needs of the state and the Nigerian economy.

“The conversion should not be viewed merely as a change of name. It must come with adequate funding, improved infrastructure, staff recruitment and welfare, and the accreditation of relevant courses.”

Uthman also commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his intervention in securing the accreditation of two courses at the institution but urged the government to extend the intervention to other programmes.

He said the accreditation of additional courses would be difficult to sustain without comprehensive institutional reform and adequate funding.

Uthman further expressed concern over the disparity in the remuneration of GIPI workers, noting that staff members had allegedly remained on an outdated minimum wage structure for years while other government workers had benefited from successive wage reviews.

He appealed to Abiodun to urgently review the salary structure of GIPI workers and integrate them into the appropriate state wage regime.

“The welfare of workers is inseparable from the quality of education they provide. You cannot expect an institution to function effectively when its workers are neglected for years,” he said.

Uthman urged the governor to constitute a committee involving relevant government agencies, the institution’s management, staff representatives and student stakeholders to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the conversion of GIPI to a polytechnic.

He added that the roadmap should address accreditation, infrastructure, funding, staffing and workers’ welfare.

He said the strategic importance of GIPI had increased with the development of Ogun State’s industrial and maritime sectors, particularly the emergence of major investments around the Ogun Waterside axis.

“GIPI is strategically located in an area with enormous industrial and maritime potential. Rather than allow the institution to collapse, the government should reposition it to become a major centre for technical and technological education.

“We are appealing to Governor Dapo Abiodun to rescue GIPI from institutional decline. Converting it to a polytechnic, adequately funding it and addressing the welfare of its workers will be a major step towards unlocking its potential,” Uthman said.